Monday, May 28, 2018

My neighbor

Yesterday I heard the wailing and I wondered.  I knew, but I didn't know for sure until today.
My neighbor died yesterday.  She was the vegetable lady of the neighborhood.  Grandmother to twins, who lived with her and their mother, and, I believe, one of two wives of a very kind gentleman, Pascale. 
She had been so very ill.  Swollen ankle for years, dialysis twice weekly, and always a smile.  How could she smile?  I know she was in pain.  But she took care of the grandkids as much as she could.  She sold the veggies and always smiled and greeted. The last time we talked she was sitting in a chair in her lawn with a machete trying to be useful by cutting the grass.  Just a little at the time because it was exhausting work for her.
These photos were taken in March of 2015 before she got really sick.  These days her stand didn't have very much.
I'll miss her.




I asked permission to take these photos.  She asked me for a copy and I printed them on photo paper for her.
My printer died or I would take another copy over....
At her house tonight the family and neighbors and friends stood or sat in small groups talking quietly, and then someone would break into wailing and the group would wail and cry for a bit. 
I got to hold one of the twins.  A very talkative babbler, who wanted to eat my watch, and can walk holding on the the coffee table. 
I couldn't understand most of what was being said - either the French vocabulary or my hearing making it difficult (or both). This was the first time in a long time that I wish I knew more French.  It's hard to have meaningful conversations with an elementary knowledge of the language. 
I don't know if the family are believers, but there was a cross above a door in the living room.  I hope so, because I would love to worship with her in heaven.
I am sorry the grand-twins won't get to know their sweet grandmother and the daughter has lost her mother.  Pascale will miss his wife.  She was a good woman.


Pray for Cameroon. Pray for the gospel to go forth and Word of God to change lives.

Thanks for reading....


Tuesday, May 1, 2018

Living far from home on limited bandwidth....

Wherever you are, if you are reading this, you have internet.  Our home in Cameroon also has internet.  But to post a picture has taken up to an hour. One hour for a small photo and 5 minutes for a one line e-mail.  Today we had fiber optics installed and I posted 4 photos in less than a minute.  Wow.

Now, how can I use it??  Watch Netflix?  Post on my blog?  Write very very overdue emails?  Video talk with my mom?  So many choices, but not enough time!!  So today, I'm going to do just a blast of photos...


Shopping buddies
With the sidekick


 My Birthday present from Hortense our house help. 


Bible study group

Traffic.  Yes he is holding those poles one the roof with his hand.  

Girls volleyball

Noah at volleyball

On the way to swimming lessons
December 2017 for the Elementary PE program

Volleyball tournament 


Wedding duds

All together-

Lots of cakes in birthday season

Buddy reading

Night of improv

Loving on our bunny

Getting ready for Christmas


Dance section in PE
Our new pet- Zeus, the bush baby


Rearranged music room

Lunch with friends - we miss Rachel (left) who is back in the US now

Market - these are everywhere

Fruit stands on the way home from RFIS

The ongoing saga with internet

RFIS kids raised awareness and funds to fight human trafficking
Noah gave the speech and a band played

Joe (and others) flew these planes years ago and just took them out of storage

Crazy things seen shopping

Sarah's birthday 

Some studying in the kitchen

Sunset from the office

Canary in our tree

More time with the rabbit

Plantains - a gift from the village

Fun with Zeus

Fun with Zeus

Small group lunch to say goodbye to Cathy K for good and to Katy P for 5 months

Reading to my class at lunch time

Fun with vegies

Noah 
Soccer in Rainy season

Zip line at carnival at RFIS
Noah catching kids at the other end of the zip line
RFIS carnival
It was a long way down!
RFIS Carnival

Mr. Cone getting his nails done?? - Carnival RFIS
 Everyone wanted to hold Zeus.  They washed their hands and were warned that he might pee on them...






                  



Family Feud
RFIS carnival

Praying Jeff and Rachel off

Poetry book display
Book display

Found at RFIS


Twin day at RFIS

Unclog toilet. Serpenticide (kills snakes), insecticide all in one!
 Soccer season

Crazy hair day
RFIS

All gone-

Hannah wrote and performed a one woman show about her grandmothers life.  Wow. It was excellent!

Pi day 2018

Lunch at Istanbul - shawarmas today while shopping

Teacher lunch at the elementary school

Flower from Noah.  This makes me happy~

Drama evangelism at the soccer tournament 

Rainy season soccer

Zeus

Ben made this pizza and named it Eggbert for the egg on top

Cupcakes for a class party

Brothers

Testing the egg drop containers in science

Art  with Tracy

Art with Tracy

Getting ready for pictures during conference
Special helicopter dedication


Hanging at the hanger for the Helicopter dedication


Pit bar-b-que -imported idea from Asia




 Easter
Easter prep with the girls


Easter
Love these kids!









Theresa brought the rabbit a special treat for Easter

Dinner with the team Chris works with

The newest expat baby at conference

Update from Africa area on the progress of Bible translation.
Complete Bibles, New Testaments, Portions, and Needs

Special fabric honoring the outgoing and incoming branch Directors

Conference - looking at our roots

Adding our blocks to the work here

The outgoing director (left) and his wife (right) with his secretary (center)


First time at a new Pizza place. First time out to eat this quarter.  First time Ben has ever said of a restaurant in Cameroon, 'We've got to come back here!'
 Ben loves Zeus

Zeus loves Ben

Chris's visit to the Baka 

 Baka children

Completed workshop

Our new EC chair


Please pray for our family :

The kids have 4 1/2 weeks until exams.  Noah has the SAT Saturday and AP exams the 2 weeks following that.  
Chris is doing some travel and preparing for the 2 interns who arrive the end of May for the summer.
Pray for transitions as many leave for furlough or for the summer.  
Pray for our testimony here in Cameroon, our relationship with Christ, and each other.